parthenolatry means the worship of virgins, or of the Virgin Mary. It carries an Arena rating of 1236, earned across 9 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, parthenolatry ranks #336 of 13,225 for Most Exacting Words, #1,183 of 13,225 for Funniest Words, #3,004 of 13,225 for Most Storied Words, #3,459 of 13,225 for Most Ponderous Words.
Why “parthenolatry” is a great word
Parthenolatry is the worship of a virgin or virgins, most specifically the cultic veneration of the Virgin Mary. From the Greek partheno- ('virgin') and -latry ('worship'), the term denotes a reverence fixed upon the state of inviolate purity. Unlike Mariolatry, which denotes worship of the Virgin Mary in particular, or hyperdulia, a theological term for the unique veneration accorded to her within Catholic doctrine, parthenolatry is a colder, more abstract devotion to the idea of the unsullied. It is the scent of lilies in a cold stone chapel, the focused gaze of a votive candle’s flame upon a serene, porcelain face, and the silent weight of countless prayers addressed not to a person, but to a condition—a quiet, collective longing for the pristine in a world of inevitable stain.
Etymology
From parthen- + -o- + -latry.
noun
- The worship of virgins, or of the Virgin Mary.
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